The recording industry is moving toward a new method of distributing content which will allow for creation of original custom CD's either via mail order, from a kiosk located in a retail outlet or by electronic distribution. As a result of this new form of distribution, concerns have arisen within the recording industry that an original custom CD will be replicated by the purchaser and distributed for profit without proper recognition of the original content providers intellectual property rights.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a method of proving that a CD is an authorized original and to identify illegal copies of an authorized original.